THE LATE MR BALLANCE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2499, 6 May 1893, Page 3

THE LATE MR BALLANCE.

The chairman of the Temuka Town Board has received the following telegram :—" Mrs Ballance desires to thank you very sincerely for your kind message and kind sympathy.—A. M. Smith", Wellington. At the monthly meeting of the South Canterbury Board of Education held last Tuesday, Mr Talbot moved—" That this board express its deep sense of regret for the loss the colony has sustained by the death of Mr Ballance, and its recognition of the many estimable qualities and great abilities of the deceased Premier, and that, Mrs Ballance be assured of the board's sympathy and condolence with her in her bereavement." The mover said he need not ask the board to pass this resolution, they would do it willingly. Mr Ballance held the responsible position of Treasurer of the colony for some time, and his good qualities as Treasurer had been iully recognised. He was everywhere highly respected, and he believed the colony had suffered a very loss by his death, a greater loss probably than they were at present aware of. Mr Graham seconded, and the motion was carried unanimously. Wellington, May 3.

The Napier Knights of Labor carried a resolution supporting the proposed Wellington Trade and Labor Council to erect a statue to the memory of tne late Premier.

The Wellington Liberal Association have passed resolutions of confidence in the new Ministry, and appointed a committee to consider the best means of establishing a memorial to Mr Ballance. The Lodge 1' Amour de la Verti, G.0.F., propose to hold a memorial service in honor of members removed by death, with special reference to the late Premier. A feature of this Lodge's functions is that ladies are admitted. The Governor has received a cable from Lord Hopetoun, sympathising with Mr Ballance's death.

At a meeting of the Co-operative Tailors' Society to-night the president spoke at length in rogard to the loss the workers of New Zealand had sustained through the death of Mr Ballance, and expressed the hope that the memory of the man who had done so much for the labor cause would never be forgotten. A resolution of sympathy with Mrs Ballance was carried.

The Assembly of Labor intend to take steps to aecuro the joint notion of the assemblies in the Wellington district in contributing to the Ballance memorial.

The following pretty verses by the Speaker of Parliament appear in the Lyttelton Times :

JOHN BALLANCE. Ob. Ai'ttiL- 27, 1893.

The great, warm heart is still, The active brain That toiled incessant through life's busy day Rests from its labours. Ours is now the pain ; His, the repose and peace that last for r.yo. Silent for ever. Nevermore shall fall

The patriot's voice upon the lisfning ear, Silent ? Ah ! no ! for love shall oi't recall

The s-oi't, persuasive tones t j mem'ry dear. With rev'rent hands and gentle, lay him low, Covered with wreaths and £arlauds : As is meet, Alt wove of blo=soma fair and white as snow,

Pure as his life, and as his spirit swee^. Lay him to rest, where golden sunbeams, play Through the pine boughs, and shimmer^ ing shadows cast; Emblem of life—the shadow ours to-day,

And his the glorious sunshine ab the last. Lay him to rest, and wipe the tears that dim And spring unbidden from the nation's eyes. Happy the country that hath sons like him, And happier he that thus beloved m"o3.' ' ""WM.J.S.

The following verses in the Southland News are more ambitious, but less poetic :

JOHN BALLANCE

To sow the seed which hands shall

reap, To bjinsr the costly p ;arls up from the deep For others' wear : this is a grfaaf. njaij,'* \cs\ And who wi'l not Agree thn.fe hp. \ v h o j Ust hf 7, lej ; t y, • ,B for hie counts With eyes upon that fftu-cjp, better land Tbat lies BhaH bq 0 more, and merit rest on deed And not on gold ; Where multitudes shall not in want grow old That fow may live elate. Towards that land he steered with steady hand The ship of; State. Further than other nations we have sped Towards that land, and for it let us thank That captain brave whose spirit now has fled Into the blank,

Oswald Hugo